Odisha to do away with 34 electricity police stations

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has decided to abolish 34 electricity police stations, which were set up to curb power theft in the State, following refusal of the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) to grant permission for them.

As there has not been any impact on power theft after the electricity police stations came into existence, the specialised police stations have become a kind of defunct. The discoms were bearing the cost of the wages of the staff and operating cost.

Rajesh Verma, Energy Secretary, said, “We have given charge to all the police stations in the State to curb the power theft. After the power to lodge complaint regarding the power theft at general police stations, we are reviewing whether the electricity police stations can be abolished.”

On the other hand, the electricity consumers’ association said the power supply services should be taken care by the companies themselves instead of handing over the task to franchisees.

Panchanan Kanungo, president of the Electricity Consumers’ Association, said, “The State and OERC should remove the franchise system so that the company will take care of the profit and loss.”

Commenting on the development Bipin Bihari Mishra, former DGP, said, “The general police stations should be given additional wireless sets and CCTV cameras so that they can tab on the power theft well.”

Sources said till March next year, the electricity police stations and general police stations would accept complaints on power theft. Subsequently, the electricity police station will be abolished.